The invention relates to a connection assembly providing multiple port connections.
Known connector assemblies exist having multiple receptacle connectors in a common housing, which provide a compact arrangement of such receptacle connectors. Such a connector assembly is useful to provide multiple connection ports. Accordingly, such a connector assembly is referred to as a multiple port connector assembly. In preferred arrays, the housing has jacks one above the other, forming a plurality of arrays in stacked arrangement, so-called xe2x80x9cstacked jackxe2x80x9d arrangements. The receptacle connectors, that is, modular jacks, each have electrical terminals arranged in a terminal array, and have plug receiving cavities. Specifically, the receptacle connectors are in the form of RJ-45 type modular jacks that establish mating connections with corresponding RJ-45 modular plugs.
For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,612, a connector assembly has two rows of receptacle connectors, that is, modular jacks, arranged side-by-side in an upper row and side-by-side in a lower row in a common housing, which advantageously doubles the number of receptacle connectors without having to increase the length of the housing. The receptacle connectors have plug receiving sections with plug receiving cavities that are profiled to surround modular plugs that are to be inserted in the cavities. The modular plugs have resilient latches, which engage with latching sections on the modular jacks. The latches are capable of being grasped by hand, and being resiliently bent inwardly toward the plugs to release them from engagement with the latching sections on the modular jacks.
One application for such connector assemblies is in the field of telephony, wherein the modular jacks provide ports for connection with a telephone switching network of a telephone service provider, such as a regional telephone company or national telephone company. The corresponding RJ-45 modular plugs terminate opposite ends of telephone cords leading to wall-mounted telephone outlets inside a building. The telephone outlets connect to telephone lines outside of the building, which, in turn, connect to the telephone switching network of the telephone service provider.
Alternatively, such connection systems have found utility in office computer networks, where desktops are interconnected to office servers by way of sophisticated cabling. Such networks have a variety of data transmission mediums including coaxial cable, fiber optic cable and telephone cable. One such network topography is known as the Ethernet network, which is subject to various electrical standards, such as IEEE 802.3 and others. Such networks have the requirement to provide a high number of distributed connections, yet optimally requires little space in which to accommodate the connections.
Furthermore, such networks now operate at speeds of 1 gigabit and higher which requires significant conditioning to the signals. For instance, it is common to require shielding for controlling electromagnetic radiation per FCC standards, while at the same time controlling electromagnetic interference (EMI) within the assembly, between adjacent connections. It is therefore also a requirement to provide such components within the assembly as magnetic coils, inductors, chip capacitors, and the like, to condition the signals. While the technology exists for conditioning the signals, no connection devices exist which are capable of handling such speeds, while at the same time package the signal conditioning components required to maintain these speeds.
Another design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,911 to Boutros et al., which discloses a modular jack assembly having multiple ports for connection to multiple modular jacks. While this assembly further discloses having packaged magnetic assemblies, or other components, this design, as in other attempts to signal condition connection devices, simply adds the components to known connection devices. Therefore, the volume within the assembly is inadequate to provide the proper signal conditioning devices for the high speeds now required.
Furthermore, in order to ensure that a proper connection has been made and therefore a link is created between the electrical communication devices, indicators are often incorporated into circuits on the printed circuit board. These indicators are typically light emitting diodes (LEDs) which are turned on when a circuit is completed between the mating connectors and the communication devices. Additionally LEDs can be mounted on the printed circuit board to indicate a number of other conditions including the passage of communication signals between the two communication devices, indication of power, or indication that an error in transmitting the signals has occurred.
In an effort to miniaturize printed circuit boards and save board real estate, LED indicators have been integrated into these connectors. An example of such a connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,317 to Pocrass which teaches a connector for receiving a plug having a visual indicator positioned within the front wall of the electrical connector housing. Incorporation of the indicator into the electrical connector eliminates the need for a separate location on the printed circuit board for mounting of such an indicator. The LED indicator is inserted into a recess of the electrical connector such that its electrical leads pass through the recess and connect to the printed circuit board. The indicator is then cemented into the recess or attached using an appropriate adhesive. The LEDs may also be molded into the electrical connector during the molding process of the housing. However, this device of Pocrass is shown for only a single cavity housing, and it is not readily ascertainable how it might be reconfigured for a multi-port or a stacked jack configuration.
The objects of the inventions are therefore to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.
The objects have been accomplished by providing an electrical connector assembly having a plurality of rows of jacks for mating with a plurality of electrical plugs. The connector assembly comprises plural lead frames, the lead frames including front mating contact sections, and conductor contacting sections. A center shield is positioned between the lead frames, and a transverse shield is positioned transversely to the center shield. A lower shield is positioned below the transverse shield, wherein the center shield, transverse shield and lower shield are commoned together. A first array of passive components are positioned on one side of the transverse shield, between the center shield and the lower shield. A second array of passive components are positioned on the opposite side of the transverse shield as the first array, between the center shield and the lower shield. An insulating module housing at least partially surrounds the pluggable contact module, the center shield, the transverse shield, the lower shield, and the first and second array of passive components, thereby defining a pluggable contact module. An insulating outer housing has a mating face having at least two connector receiving openings for receiving mating connectors therein, and module receiving openings for receipt of the pluggable contact modules.
At least one of the shields comprises a shielding contact extension, and the insulating module housing comprises an opening with the shielding contact extension, extending therethrough. An outer shielding member substantially surrounds the insulating outer housing and the pluggable contact modules. The outer shielding member includes an opening therethrough for receiving the shielding contact extension in an electrically engaging manner. The lead frames include intermediate sections and printed circuit board contact sections, the lead frames being profiled in a substantial Z-shape with the front mating contact sections of the plural lead frames being positioned adjacent to a central plane, with the printed circuit board contact sections from the plural lead frames being positioned proximate each other but remotely from the central plane, thereby defining a volume for the passive devices, the pluggable contact module further comprising at least one printed circuit board carrying passive devices positioned thereon, the printed circuit board being attached to the printed circuit board contact sections, with the passive devices occupying the volume.
The pluggable contact module is comprised of two lead frames. The lead frame intermediate contact sections include forward sections lying in a substantially horizontal plane, with the front mating contact sections being reversely bent from the forward sections. The lead frame intermediate contact sections further comprise perpendicular sections extending from the forward sections. The lead frame intermediate contact sections further comprise rearward sections extending from the perpendicular sections, the rearward sections lying in a substantially horizontal plane.
The intermediate contact sections are at least partially overmolded with insulative material. The lead frames and the intermediate center shield are closely conforming to each other to form a lamination. The rearward sections are each overmolded with an insulative material, to define a side board mounting edge, with the printed circuit contacts extending therefrom. The printed circuit board contacts for each lead frame extend from opposite side edges. Two printed circuit boards are mounted to the side board mounting edges. The lower shield, transverse center shield and the intermediate shield are all electrically commoned together.
An insulative housing shell is positioned around printed circuit board and shields. The insulating housing has a top wall, a bottom wall, an intermediate wall forming an upper and lower row, and a plurality of modular openings formed in the upper and lower row, and the insulative shells are pluggable in the modular openings to form a stacked jack assembly.
In another aspect of the invention, an electrical connector assembly has a plurality of rows of jacks for mating with a plurality of electrical plugs. The connector assembly comprises plural lead frames, the lead frames including front mating contact sections, and conductor contacting sections. A center shield is positioned between the lead frames, and a transverse shield is positioned transversely to said center shield. A first array of passive components are positioned on one side of the transverse shield, between the center shield and the lower shield. A second array of passive components are positioned on the opposite side of the transverse shield as the first array, between the center shield and the lower shield. An insulating module housing at least partially surrounds the pluggable contact module, the center shield, the transverse shield, the lower shield, and the first and second array of passive components, thereby defining a plurality of pluggable contact modules. An insulating outer housing has a mating face having at least two connector receiving openings for receiving mating connectors therein, and module receiving openings for receipt of the pluggable contact modules. An outer shielding member substantially surrounds the insulating outer housing and the pluggable contact modules.
A lower shield is positioned below the transverse shield, wherein the center shield, transverse shield and lower shield are commoned together. At least one of the shields comprises a shielding contact extension, and the insulating module housing comprises an opening with the shielding contact extension, extending therethrough. The outer shielding member includes an opening therethrough for receiving the shielding contact extension in an electrically engaging manner. The lead frames and center shield member are Z-shaped in configuration. The lead frame intermediate contact sections include forward sections lying in a substantially horizontal plane, with the front mating contact sections being reversely bent from the forward sections. The lead frame intermediate contact sections further comprise perpendicular sections extending from the forward sections. The lead frame intermediate contact sections further comprise rearward sections extending from the perpendicular sections, the rearward sections lying in a substantially horizontal plane.
The intermediate contact sections are at least partially overmolded with insulative material. The lead frames and the intermediate center shield are closely conforming to each other to form a lamination. The rearward sections are each overmolded with an insulative material, to define a side board mounting edge, with the printed circuit contacts extending therefrom. The printed circuit board contacts for each lead frame extend from opposite side edges. Two printed circuit boards are mounted to the side board mounting edges. The lower shield is positioned below the printed circuit boards. The lower shield, transverse center shield and the intermediate shield are all electrically commoned together.